When the pool closes, I'm heading to the locker room when Nate stops me. "Long day, huh?"
"Yeah. I don't think I've ever seen it that busy."
"It's because of that online special they're doing."
"What online special?"
"The one TJ keeps talking about in our staff meetings. Weren't you listening?"
I wasn't. My mind always wanders during those meetings, especially when Brad's sitting next to me and my thoughts go to us doing things we shouldn't.
"It's two for one admission," Nate says. "They have to go online and print out the coupon in the ad, but it's only good on certain days. Today was the first one."
"Oh. I guess I forgot about that."
"He just reminded us about it this morning," he says in that judgmental tone I find so irritating. "How could you forget already?"
"Nate, I need to go," I say, walking past him.
"I'll go change and wait by the car."
That's right. He's my ride home. I forgot I didn't drive.
"I could take her." Brad appears next to me. "I'm going that way anyway."
Nate looks at me. "Does that work? If not, I don't mind driving you home."
"Don't worry about it. I'll just go with Brad." I glance at him. "Did he tell you we're going to the movies tonight?"
"No," Nate says, not seeming at all jealous or upset by the news. "What are you going to see?"
"We haven't decided yet," Brad says, giving me a look like he's surprised I brought it up. Why would he be surprised? Did he think I'd try to hide it from Nate?
"Don't go to one I want to see," Nate says to me. "Our agreement still stands."
"What agreement?" Brad asks.
I answer. "If there's a movie we're really excited about, Nate and I agreed we'd go together. It's something we've been doing for years."
"It started after Riley went to see a movie without me that I'd been dying to see. She was telling me about it and let the ending slip."
"It was an accident," I say, remembering how upset Nate got when I told him. "After that, we made the agreement to make sure it didn't happen again."
"Seems a little restrictive," Brad says, "but I don't want to mess up your arrangement. So what's off limits?"
"I'll tell you later," I say. "I need to go change."
Heading to the locker room, I'm annoyed once again with Nate. I've never liked that agreement and felt like he was punishing me when he made it. So I accidentally told him the ending. Big deal. It was one time and I promised to never do it again.
"Hey." I feel a hand on my shoulder, stopping me. I look back and see Tara there. "You almost ran me over."
"I did?" I sigh. "Sorry. I wasn't looking."
"You okay?" she asks.
"Yeah. It's just been a long day."
She follows me into the locker room. Her locker is right next to mine and as she opens it, I notice the inside is neatly organized with tiny hooks and hangers, little boxes, and shelf inserts.
"Wow." I peek inside. "Where'd you find all that stuff?"
"Online." She pulls a tiny hairbrush from one of the boxes. "I like things to be organized."
"You weren't like that in high school," I say, remembering how things were always falling out of her backpack, which was stuffed so full she could barely zip it.
"I know. Weird, huh? For some reason I suddenly got obsessed with organizing stuff my junior year of college." She puts the brush back and closes her locker. "You've changed a lot too since high school."
"What do you mean?" I open my locker and grab my clothes.
"Well, for one, how the hell did you get those boobs?"
I look down at my chest. "From my mom, except mine came later than hers."
"Lucky you. My mom gave me wide hips and a fat ass."
"Your ass isn't fat."
"You obviously haven't looked at it." She turns around and points to it. It's bigger than it was in high school, but not huge. "You know how hard it is to find jeans to fit this?"
"You should be happy about it. A lot of guys love a girl with a little extra back there."
She laughs. "I know. This ass gets me asked out a lot. Two guys just today."
"Really? Here at the pool?"
"Yeah. I turned them down." She leans against the locker. "So what's going on with you and Nate?"
"Nothing. Why do you ask?"
She smiles. "He wants you so bad. Back in high school, I thought for sure you guys would be married by now. Everyone did."
"Why? We didn't even date."
"But everyone knew Nate was in love with you. We weren't sure if you were in love with him. So are you?"
"No. We're just friends." I shut my locker and go around her to get a towel.
"Seriously?" She rushes over to me. "You really don't love him?"
"Not the way you're talking about."
She'd already know that if she'd noticed my attraction to Brad and saw him kiss me during CPR training. Since she didn't, it means Giada was exaggerating when she said everyone thinks there's something going on between Brad and me. She's probably the only one who noticed, which is good. I don't want anyone knowing.
"Now it makes sense," Tara says.
"What makes sense?"
"Johnny kept saying there was something going on between you and Brad. I told him he was crazy, but then when Brad kissed you during the CPR demo, I thought maybe Johnny was right. I just couldn't imagine you cheating on Nate like that."
"I'm not cheating on Nate," I blurt out.
"So you ARE dating Brad."
"No! But if I were, which I'm not, it wouldn't be cheating because Nate and I are only friends. We've never been anything more than that."
"And Nate feels the same way?"
I sigh. "No. He wants more, but I can't give him more. I don't feel that way about him."
"Meaning he's single?" she asks with a smile.
"Are you saying you want to go out with Nate?"
She shrugs. "Maybe. I always thought he was cute back in high school. Now he's all grown up and kinda hot. You wouldn't mind, would you?"
"Um, no. Go ahead. Ask him out."
"I'll think about it." She walks off. "See ya!"
Nate dating Tara? Why does that bother me? It shouldn't. He can date whoever he wants. Tara and I have never really been friends, but I don't have anything against her. I can't really see Nate with her, but what do I know? Maybe they'd be a good match.
I should encourage this. If Nate's dating someone, he won't want to spend all his time with me and then I'll be free to hang out with Brad. I can't believe I'm even thinking that. Just a few weeks ago, I was worried Brad would interfere with my time with Nate, and now I'm actually hoping that will happen. I still want to spend time with Nate, but not if he's going to be angry with me all summer. I'd much rather be with Brad.